King Lear is a play about losing everything to find nothing... at least for those involved in the play. As one of Shakespeare's most nihilistic plays, there is little consolation for any of the players in the end. They've all made mistakes for their own reasons--justified in our limited scopes or not--and they pay the ultimate price for those mistakes. While a few characters may, in fact, learn a lesson, it's very much a case of too little too late. But for us, it is not too late. Through the pain and anguish of these experiences, as Shakespeare holds that mirror up to nature, we have the opportunity to see how our selfish actions might play out... and perhaps we may choose to think a little more carefully about how we lead our lives... how we treat others... what we hold near and dear to our hearts.

This production is set in the ancient past, prehistoric Britain. The terrain is rocky, the stage is dark. Lear is in decline, as is his kingdom. Ultimately, it all fades away into darkness and lurks in the recesses of our minds.

~Brian J. Sivesind

Director Brian J. Sivesind is the Associate Artistic Director of the Spotlight Theatre in Bakersfield and has worked as an assistant director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Utah Shakespearean Festival.